Draft-equalizer.



P. G. LEWIS. DRAFT BQUALIZER. Arz moA-non FILED r113. 21, 1900.

915,614.- Patehted Mar. 16, 1909.

WITNESSES v v A ORNEY rm: NORRIS PETERS 9n. wAsnmo-m'u, n.'c.

UNITE srnrns PATENT ornron.

FREDERICK Gr. LEWIS, OF ALMIRA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ERNEST GOBURN AND RICHARD H. SOHREIBER, OF LIND, WASHINGTON.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnsnnnrox G. Lnwrs, citizen of the United States, residing at Almira, in the county of Lincoln and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to draft equalizers, and es ecially to a device for equalizing the pulls o a number of horses arranged in parallel series, either two, four or six abreast.

The special object of the present invention is to devise a form of equalizer by which the draft of large teams will be successfully equalized, and whereby no horse can pull more than his share of the load; and also whereby, on the starting of any two or more horses in the team, all the other horses will have their proportionate share of the load thrust upon them, and thus induce them to start.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed,

having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 e Figure 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of my draft equalizer. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the equalizing levers and swingletrees. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the pole and connections.

A represents a rearmost draft-bar, preferably made in upper and lower sections, as shown, and fulcrumed to the-tongue of the vehicle, which latter is represented at 2.

Between the sections of the draft-bar A, and at the ends thereof, are fulcrumed the equalizing levers 3; and from the inner and outer ends of these equalizing levers extend forward, as here shown, devices for the attachment of three strings of animals arranged in longitudinal parallel series, and with the horses in the several strings arranged six abreast in transverse series.

To the outer end of each equalizing lever 3 is connected a pair of equalizing levers 4, by means of suitable clevis and chain connections 5. These levers 4 overlap each other at their inner ends, and a bolt 6 passes through both levers and forms a central fulcrum, to which the clevis 6' connecting the chain 5 is attached. To the outer end of each lever 4 is adjustably secured a swingletree 7.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 1908.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Serial No. 417,154.

Each inner end of each lever 4 is connected to a crotched chain 8, which latter has a forward continuation in the chain 9, which latter connects through a suitable pivotal connection 10 with a forward pair of draft equalizers 11. The equalizers 11 are similar in construction to the rear equalizers 4, and their inner ends are connected by crotched chains 12, and therethrough to a chain 13, which continues forward to a third pair of equalizers 14. The equalizers 11 have corresponding swingletrees ,1 5, and the equalizers 14 have corresponding swingletrees 16. Forward of the equalizers 14 is a single equalizer or doubletree 17 carrying the swingletrees 18.

The equalizers 41 1-14 are substantially all alike, except that the short ends vary in length according to their place in the hitch; the shortest ones being in the rear. Thus, the equalizers 14 are of equal length, and are both fulcrumed on the pin 19 at their middle, since thetwo horses attached to the swingletrees 1 6 counterbalance the two horses on the swingletrees 18 in front. The e ualizers 11 arefulcrumed at a distance "om their inner ends equal approximately to one-third their length, since the two horses which are attached to the equalizers 11 counterbalance the four horses in front. correspondingly, the equalizers 4 are fulcrume in the proportion of one to three, since the two horses attached to these equalizers counterbalance the six horses in front.

The outer end of each of the equalizing bars isprovided with appropriate adjustments 20, so that any horse in the team can be given an advantage over the others, if found necessary or desirable; and the leverage of each string of animals on the equalizers 3 may be adjusted by suitable means, as shifting the pivot of the rear clevis in one or other of the holes 21 in the rearmost equalizers.

The inner ends of the rear equalizers 3 are flexibly connected by short chains 22 with a pair of overlappin equalizers 23 having corresponding swing etrees 24. These equalizers 23 correspond in construction and operation to the rear equalizers 4, previously described, and their inner ends are connected by a crotched chain 25 and long chain 26 with other and like equalizers 27 in advance; the series being extended to any desired length.

By this construction of equalizer, I am able to equalize the draft of any numberrof Qr es,..f 1 1ni-hree o th r y-s x camera-and to arrange these l 1orsestwo, four or six abreast.

The hitch may be used as an entirety-,ashere shown, with three strings of animals, ,or any single string may be'detachedfrom therear draft-bars 3 and used separately; and any one or more sections or pairs of equal izers, as 14-11 and 4 may be used in conjunction with a forward draft-bar :17 z the essential feature of this invention being the particular arrangement of the overlapping equalizing bars with their flexible connections to adraftappliance in front.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patcut is 1. A draft equalizer comprising pairs of overlapping equalizing-levers, the levers in eachpair having a:common fulcrum, drafttrees at the outer ends of said levers, and a draft connection between the fulcrum point of'eachpair-of levers in front with the inner ends:of the equalizinglevers next adjacent and in rear.

2. A :draft equalizer comprising a rear draft-ban-equ alizingbars fulcrumed thereon, pairs of overlapping equalizing levers arran ed inseries one behind the other, each of sai' pairs'of e ualizing levers having a common fulcrum, raft connectionsbetween the respective fulcra of-the-two outside :rearmost pairs of equalizing *levers and the outerlends ofsaid equalizingbars on-the rear draftbar, a draft connection between the fulcrum of the rearmost pair ofequalizers of the central series vand the-inner ends of said equalizing bars,,draf t connections between the ivots of the equalizing Llevers; in Tfrontrand t e'inner ends "of the e ualizing'levers next adjacent -,;and in;r,ear, draft-trees at the ends of the equalizing levers, a draft-bar in front of the foremost of the equalizing levers ,inreachfseries, and a draft connection between each of said draft trees and the inner ends of the equalizing levers next adjacent and in rear. 3. In combination, a main draft equalizer, a plurality of equalizing draft devices comprising crossed or overlapped equalizing levers ivoted together, and couplings connecte to their inner ends,-said draftzdevices arranged successively in parallel independent lines from said main draft equalizer, each'of said draft devicesbeing connectedtothe fulcrum of the equalizing leversvof the draft device next in frontand to the inner ends of like levers on the draft device immediatelyin rear thereof.

4. A draft equalizer comprising a pair of crossed or overlappediequalizinglevers piv oted together, a coupling linked to the inner ends ofrsaidcrossed levers, draft attachments on'the outer ends of the same, a forward connectingmeans linked to said coupling, :and'a rear connection coupled to the fulcrum -of said-levers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto-set my hand in presence of'two subscribing-Witnesses- FREDERICK G. LEWIS. \lVitnesses MILTON C. SALTER, JULIUS 'O. JOHNSON. 

